Card slotter and printer



Feb. 25, 1941. R. CONNOR CARD SLOTTER AND PRINTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJan. 25, 1940 INVENTOR ROGER CONNOR Ah g A ORNEY Feb. 25, 1941- R.CONNOR CARD SLOTTER AND PRINTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 23, 1940INVENTOR ROGER (EM/N012 BY ATTORNEY CARD SLOTTER AND PRINTER Filed Jan.23, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet. 3

QMQ 2. H .3 mm

- INVENTOR. Roam Cow/van BY UH 5 ATTORNEY. v

Feb. 25, 1941. R CONNOR CARD SLOTTER AND PRINTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FiledJan. 25, 1940 Patented Feb. 25, 1941 CARD SLOTTER AND PRINTER RogerConnor, Athens, Ohio, assignor to The McBee Company, Athens, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Application January 23, 1940, Serial No. 315,152

12 Claims.

My invention relates to that type of devices which are intended toprepare cards for mechanical sorting. A card of this type is fullydescribed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,544,172, is-

sued to A.'Perkins, to which'reference may be had for more completedetails. Briefly that patent discloses a stack of cards which areprovided with a plurality of perforations adjacent one or more of theedges of the cards. These perforations being so located that they may benotched or slotted to the edge of the cards to form a pattern todesignate a certain classification, these patterns being different foreach card and correspond to a name ,or number previously entered on thecard.

In sorting the cards, they are stacked with the holes in alignment and asorting device whichis commonly called a sorting needle is'inserted inthe holes and onraising the needle vertically it will leave all of thecards which have not been slotted out of the tray. By repeating thisoperation, the cards may be sorted into the desired sequence.

The cards of the Perkins patent have gone into very wide commercial usewith the result that it has been necessary to manufacture mechanicalmeans to notch or slot the cards, two of such patents are No. 2,035,777to Welk and No. 2,062,153 to Welk et al. These patents describe cardslotting or notching devicesioruse as taught in the Perkins patent andboth of these patents show keyboards which are similar to those used onadding machines and typewriters. The depression of a key controls acorresponding punch u in order to slot the card in a predeterminedlocation.

United States Letters Patent No. 2,144,412 to Lucien L. McCart, is adevice for slotting or notching cards by means of punches as describedin the Perkins patent, but in this case, instead of a keyboard, theinventor employs a master card which has been previously notched orslotted for the desired classification, and by inserting the master cardor key plate, certain of the individual 5 punches are renderedinoperative and by the operation of a suitable lever, the remainingpunches notch or slot the card with the desired pattern.

A similar metal plate is now used for identitying the customer 'whopresents it. This plate is so usually stamped with the name, address andidentification number of the customer. In using the machine the mastercard, when presented by the customer as a credit card, is inserted toset the desired punches, a thin card is then inserted II in the deviceand punched to duplicate the master card. The thin paper or cardboardcard may be used as a sales slip or other memorandum having beenpreviously prepared with perforations asdescribed in the Perkins patentfor mechanical sorting and by the operation of the punch it is notchedaccording to the customer's number and the department number.

Thus a credit customer may visit various departments of a store, or maystop at various filling stations of a chain, during the month. By means10,

of the above method, allof his sales slips can be quickly broughttogether and all for a certain department may be quickly and easilysegregated.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a key punch whichthough controlled by 5 master key plate instead of a keyboard, isequipped witli an inking mechanism and means to shift the same.

It is now common practice to use a metal credit card with desiredinformation embossed thereon 20 similar to an addressograph plate, andmy invention has for its further object to adapt such plates forprinting through the inking mechanism or ribbon onto a card, and at thesame time select a predetermined number of punches to notch the. 5 cardto form a pattern referring to a single classiflcation.

My means of accomplishing the foregoing objects may be more readilyunderstood by having reference to the accompanying drawings which 30 arehereunto annexed and are a part of this speciflcation, m which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical view of a key punch with the punch lever shownclear of the punch, equipped with my improved inking mechanism, some ofthe parts being broken away, and shown in section for clarity;

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the inking mechanism showing the means ofdriving it by the actuation of the punches;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front view showing some of the parts in sectionand some of the parts broken away for the sake of clarity;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the device broken away, some of the partsbeing omitted and some shown in section for clarity; diFig. 5 is adetail view of the punch, guide and Fig. 6 is a detail view of one ofthe supporting arms; i

Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of the ribbon protecting mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the punchlever in position for operating the pimches; and I i 55 Fig. 10 is'afragmentary view taken on line ll-IO of Fig. 1 looking in the directionof the arrows. 1

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the entirespecification.

Before starting with the description of the device, reference may bemade to the above named Well: and McCart patents for details of theconstruction with which my invention is not concerned.

As shown in the drawings, the device consists of a base or frame I whichsupports the 1 punch and die assembly. A plurality of punches 2 areguided by punch guides 3 and also by flat bearing plate 4, a suitabledie 5 is provided and this and the punch guide 3 is attached to thebearing plate 4 (Fig. 5) by screws, or in any other suitable orconvenient manner. 1 r

A plurality of arms 6, one for each punch, are guided in a slotted orcomb member 42 which may be attached to the frame in any suitable orconvenient manner. supported in suitable bearings located at oppositeends. Each of the arms 5 are provided with three slots, 5', 5" 'and 6'respectively, where shafts hereinafter referred to. pass through them.

These arms 5 are adapted toslide on the shafts so as to disengage thepunches 2.1 This movement is preferably brought about by the provisionof special gears Ill and II which are I actuated by a plunger 13 whichengages a lug v in the u means of a strip 41 which 'is attached at both.7 ends to the guide 3 by means of screws 48.

ii" on the gear ii. The plunger 13 is held normally in a projectedposition as shown in Fig. 1 by means of a coil spring l2. A plurality ofholes are provided in register with each of the punches. 'In these holesI mount a plunger l4 which is caused to engage the lug I i"when theplunger I4 is pressed rearwardly by the insertion of the master plate[5.

Means for actuating the punches comprise a handle l6 which isrigidlyattached to the shaft 1. The handle it is held normally in anelevated position by means of a coil spring II, the

upper end of which is attached to a pin it andthe' lower end of which issecured to an eyelet l9, suitably fastened in the base I.

At the extreme ends ofshaft lIprovide miter gears 20 which are rigidlyattached thereto. These gears mesh with and drive gears 2| fixedlysecured to vertical shafts 22 which may besuitably housed in the frameI.

It will be clear to persons skilled in the art that the vertical shafts22 at the opposite ends of the shaft I will rotate in oppositedirections. The shafts 22 are provided at their lowerends with gears 23which in turn meshes with gears 23' which are m'punted upon a suitableshaft 23". These shafts have fixedly secured to them an arm 24 whichcarries the pawl for'actuatlng the ribbon spool through the medium of aratchet wheel 25. The ratchet wheel '25 is disconnected as far as arm 24is concerned except by means of a pawl 26 which is pivotally secured tothe end of the arm 24 by means of a pivot pin 21. A coil spring 28serves tov hold the pawl in engagement with the ratchet teeth on thewheel 25. The ratchet wheel 25 is vprovided with suitable clutch pins 29for rotating the ribbon spool 30 which is detachably mounted upon aspindle 3i mounted in supporting bracket 32 so as to facilitate thechange of the ribbon when it is worn.

Means to reverse the movement of the ribbon is provided by a slide 33suitably mounted in The operating shaft. I is is inserted in the guide53. This eflectually prerocated;

The printing mechanism comprises two arms ll 31 which are located at theright and left of the device which are rigidly attached to the operatingshaft 1 by dowel pins or by any other suitable or desired manner. A tierod 38 extends through both of these arms approximately ll near thecenter and this shaft or tie rod 38 is non-rotatably secured to the armsby means of dowel pins 39. A slmilar rod 40 is fixedly attached to thefront end of th arms 31 by means of dowel pins 4|. The rods 38 and 40support 20 all of the punch operating arms 6. The comb 42 is providedfor. guiding the arms at the front of the device. Suitable spacingwashersl43 are provided adjacentthe front ends of the arms 31.

I secure a swing .44 to the ends of the rod 40 25 by means of collars 45which are fixedly attached Suitably attached to the strip 41 is myimproved ribbon guide and protector holder 50 whichis secured thereto bymeans of screws 49. The ribbon guide and protector 50' is preferablymade of very thin; metal doubled upon'itseif forming a closed end 50".This is rigidly attached to the strip holder 41 by any suitable orconvenient means such as welding or soldering.

when the ribbon 5| is adjusted the front edge 45 ,vents the edge frominterfering with or being cut by the edge of the-master plate l5, whenit is inserted above the guide 50. It also-prevents the edge of theribbon from interfering with or being cut by the edge of the thin papercard 60 when it is inserted below the guide 50.

An additional rubber pad 52 is cemented upon the bed of the deviceforming a common surface or platen on the base land the die 5.

The master plate I5 is preferably provided with notches somewhat deeperthan those to be notched in the paper card. This provides clearmice forthe punches when passing through the master card to notch. or slot thepaper card. When the master card is inserted it is stopped by contactwith the front surface of the guide plate 4, which is provided with aslot 4' which is in alignment with a spring plunger. This slot should beapproximately fiflof an inch deep in order to provide for the'entry ofthe master plate. "At a point near both ends however it is made flush bythe insertion of blocks 53 which are either driven in with 'light drivefit or they may be secured by solder or any other suitable or desiredmeans for holding them in place. In- 70 asmuch as the master plate isnever as wide as the card it passes into the slot 4' without touchingthe stop blocks 53 at the right and left respectively. v

The paper card is located at the left against the 75 perforations alongone or more edges as hereinbefore set forth is inserted under theribbon. The master plate, which has been received from the customer whocarries it as a credit card, is inserted above the ribbon. It is thenheld in place in order to compress certain of the springs I! thus movingthe arms 6 above the punches 2 corresponding to the slots in the mastercard I5.

Obviously by depressing" the operating handle [5 it willcause thepunches thus selected to pass through the slots in the master card andslot the thin card 60' to correspond. This actuating mechanism alsoserves to press the rubber pad 46 down upon the master plate I5 causingthe embossed-letters and figures on its under side to impress or printthrough the inking ribbon those letters and figures upon the uppersurface of the card 60., Also the rubber pad 52 forms a platen for thisprinting. When the operating handle 16 is returned to its normalposition by the coil spring I1, this return movement also returns theplate H which contacts the lower surface of the punch guide 3. In thismanner the action of the screw 56 will not affect the free movement ofthe arms 6 which are provided with slots slightly larger than the rods1, 38 and 40.

I It will also be clear from the foregoing description that depressingthe operating handle 16 will partially rotate the shaft 1 and thisthrough the medium of the miter gears will cause the partial rotation ofthe shaft 23' which through the medium ofthe spring pressed pawl willrotate the ratchet wheel and move the inking ribbon on the spool whichcarries it A suitable cover5'l may be provided to enclose the operatingmechanism, and a boss 58 may be provided on this cover 51 which isthreaded to support the thumb screws 55.

Having described my invention what I regard as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine to notch the edge of a card and print thereon; aplurality of selective punches, a movable platen, common actuating meansfor said punches and said platen, an insertable master plate having atype surface and having notches at one edge, to disable certain of saidpunches, and means for supporting said card and said master plate inpunch-disabling, printing position.

2. In a machine to notch the edge of a card and print thereon; aplurality of selective punches, a

movable platen, common actuating means for said punches and said platen,an insertable master plate having type characters embossed thereon andhaving notches at one edge, to disable certain of said punches, andmeans for supporting said card and said master plate in punch-disabling,printing position.

3. In a machine to notch the edge of a card and print thereon; aplurality of selective punches, spring means to hold said punchesnormally in position to notch the edge of a card, a movable platen,common actuating means for said punches and said platen, an insertablemaster plate having type characters embossed thereon and having notchesat one edge, to disable certain of said punches, and means forsupporting said card and said master plate in punch-disabling, printingposition.

4. In a machine to notch the edge of a card-and print thereon; aplurality of selective notches, spring means to hold said punchesnormally in position to notch the edge of a card, a movable platen,common actuating means for said punches and said platen, an insertablemaster plate having type characters embossed thereon and having notchesat one edge, to disable certain of said punches, means for supportingsaid card and said master plate in punch-disabling, printing position,and means actuated by said master plate interposed between the edge ofsaid plate and said spring means to actuate said spring means,

5. In a machine to notch the edge of a card and print thereon; aplurality of selective punches, a movable platen formed "of elastic andcompressible material, common actuating means for said punches and saidplaten, an insertable master plate having a type surface and havingnotches at one edge, to disable certain of said punches, and means forsupporting said card on said master plate in punch-disabling, printingposition.

. v6. In a machine to notch the edge of a card and print thereon; aplurality of selective punches, spring means to hold said'punchesnormally in position to notch the edge of a card, a movable platen,common actuating means for said punches and said platen, an insertablemaster plate having type characters embossed thereon and having notchesat one edge, to disable certain of said punches, means for supportingsaid card and said master plate in punch-disabling, printing position,means actuated by said master plate interposed between the edge of saidplate and said spring means to actuate said spring means, said meanscomprising a longitudinally shiftable pivare compressed.

7. In a machine to notch the edge of a card and print thereon; aplurality of selective punches, a movable platen, common actuating meansfor said punches and said platen, an in sertable master plate having atype surface and having notches at one edge, to disable certain of saidpunches, means for supporting said card and said master plate inpunch-disabling, printing position, and an inking ribbon interposedbetween the said type surface and the card.

8. In a machine to notch the edge of a card and print thereon; aplurality of selective punches, a movable platen, common actuating meansfor said punches and said platen, an insertable master plate having atype surface and having notches at one edge, to disable certain of saidpunches, means for supporting said card and said master plate inpunch-disabling, printing position, an inking ribbon interposed betweenthe said type surface and the card, and means to shift said inkingribbon.

9. In a machine to notch the edge of a card and print thereon; aplurality of selective punches, a movable platen, a swing which carriessaid platen, common actuating means for said punches and said platen, aninsertable master plate having a type surface and having notches at oneedge, to disable certain of said punches, means for supporting said cardand said master plate inpunch-disabling. l m ting position, an inkingribbon interposed between the said type surface and the card, and meansto shift said inking ribbon.

10. In a machine to notch the edge of a card and print thereon; aplurality of selective punches, a movable platen, common actuating meansfor said punches and said platen, an insertable master plate having atype surface and having notches at one edge, to disable certain of saidpunches, means for supporting said card and said master plate inpunch-disabling, Printing position, an inking ribbon interposed betweenthe said type surface and the card, and means to shield the edge of saidinking ribbon.

11, In a machineto notch the edge of a card and print thereon; aplurality of selective punches, a movable platen, common actuating meansfor said punches and said platen, an insertable master plate having atype surface and having notches at one edge, to. disable certain of saidpunches, means for supporting said card and said master plate inpunch-disabling, Drint h ing position, an inking ribbon interposedbetween the said type surface and the card,fand means to shield the edgeof said inking ribbon, said means comprising a strip of metal foldedupon itself providing a recess into which the edge of the ribbon can beinserted.

12. In a machine to notch the edge of a card and print' thereon aplurality of selective punches, springmean to hold Said punchesnorcomprising a. longitudinally shiftable pivoted lever to actuate saidpunches, a' pair ofg'ears one of which engages said lever, the othergear meshing with the first gear, means on the second gear adapted tobe, engaged by the insertion of the master plate whereby said springsare compressed, an inking ribbon interposed between the said typesurface and' the card, means to shift said inking ribbon, and means toshield the edge of said inking ribbon, said means com I prising astrip'of metal folded upon itself pro viding a recess into which theedge of the ribbon can be inserted. a

' I ROGER, CONNOR.

